Johnathon Banks Had An "Off Night," Promoter Explains

Promoter Tom Loeffler was in NYC for the final presser ahead of Saturday's clash pitting his guy, Gennady Golovkin, against Matthew Macklin. At the steakhouse Gallagher's, I asked Loeffler to weigh in on the performance last Saturday night at Barclays Center by his heavyweight, Johnathon Banks. I was there, and it wasn't stellar. The crowd in Brooklyn booed Banks and foe Seth Mitchell pretty viciously, for coasting during long stretches of the fight. I asked Loeffler what was up with Banks.

He said that while Team Banks didn't want to use it as an excuse, the boxer hurt both his hands, and that affected him mightily. "But it was an off night," he said. "And we have to give Seth credit."

Indeed, Mitchell (on right, vs. Banks, left, at Barclays) was coming off a TKO loss to Banks, back in November, so he did what he thought he needed to do to 1) stay off his back and 2) win. No, it didn't make for a fan-friendly show, and his hesitance, combined with Banks' strange reticence, made it appear that at times, neither man was giving full effort. As fans, all we can properly do is ask that the people we pay to see perform give their best effort, and if they don't, then I think paying customers have grounds for complaint. They don't, however, in my opinion, have grounds for asserting or insinuating that Banks threw the fight. I've seen that theory floated on the Net, and please, that's not fair to Banks or the game to casually throw that out there. Never mind, I don't see how or why someone starts off OK, and looks to hurt and stop his foe, as Banks did...and only then goes on cruise control, to drop a decision. Would the bet have been EITHER KO win before three, OR decision loss?

Loeffler said fractured knuckles, one on each hand, which occured in round one and two, made Banks unable to commit to his shots. "Like most boxers, he does have a higher tolerance to pain than us, but it didn't help during the fight," he said. "I don't think it was a matter of him not wanting it, wanting to win. But he couldn't explain it. He just had an off night."

I asked if it indicated that his heart isn't in it, that he'd rather just train Wladimir Klitschko, rather than glove up himself. "No, Banks is one of the most mentally strong guys I know," Loeffler said. "He's not afraid of success. He still wants to fight."

Many eyes will be on him in his next fight, to see if that is so. Not as many eyes as would have been on him if he'd stopped Mitchell again, and kept up the momentum from that statement fight, however...

Loeffler also offered an update on what's next for Vitali Klitschko. The WBC heavyweight champion, he said, is counting down to a July 22 purse bid, to hash out terms to make a fight with his "mandatory," Bermane Stiverne. Stiverne beat Cris Arreola for the right to meet Vitali, and his promoter, Don King, will co-promote the bout-in-the-works. Will a deal be hashed out before July 22, or will it go to purse bid, I asked.

How do you know it was fixed? Ur gut tells you that? Or you have evidence?

Fixed fight. Banks coulda stopped glass joe mitchel at any point that's why he had to stop throwing punches all together . Step aside money at work. the shadow needs mitchel to throw away to wilder or even klitco because klitco wouldn't fight his trainer now would he. Again this fight was fixed , too bad no writer will investigate because you know why. The steak at gallagers is the best thing about this article/ press release/ sorry explanation by promoter. One last time the fight was fixed .

Radam G says:

Whup-arse interwishin is my call, Editor Mike. Something was up! "The shadow" and his deep pockets were lerking. I'm riding with Deepwater. The fixed was difinitely in with a payoff or an off personality.

Where is Doc Mortcola! He is a shrink, and TSS [Readers] Universe's boxing-shrink expert. He can tell you that some people have co-dependent weak-minded troubles and personality problems where they will let a favorite fighter win because the powers that be want/wanted it that way, and the aim-to-please-you fighter is so co-dependent and want to satisfy.

Besides anybody who has ever boxed or played in any sport, can you tell you that there are weak-minded co-dependent athletes who throw fights and games to satisfy the betting favorite and/or house love protagonist.

The game is full of optical illusions and is "The threatre of the unexpected" for a BIG, BIG reason. A lot of time, nothing is really as it appears. Holla!.

amayseng says:

Off night?

Dude didn't throw any punches.

He didn't do anything.

An of night is when your are trying and things are going right.

Dude did not try

I was hollering at banks asking him why he sit throwing punches for 9 rounds

Carmine Cas says:

I agree with you guys, every time Banks touched Mitchell clean he had him hurt. Is the black hand you all referring to Al Haymon?

amayseng says:

yup , the Shadow is AH. you were there and saw with your own eyes. If someone yelled just a little bit louder Mitchell would of fell down. how was that fight in the stands everyone watched rather then the nonsense fight in the ring.

I was jealous the cameraman didn't switch to the fight in the stands and instead left the cameras in

Mitchell Banks.

Radam G says:

Hehehehehehe! OMG! That was a classic, amayseng: "Even the ref didn't want to touch Mitchell because he might of knocked him down." Classic wits! Hahaha! No way nobody could not see that Banks was trying extra hard to give Mitch a winning hitch. Holla!

Bernie Campbell says:

Off Night? Just like that cat almost killed the pope a few years back! With Wlad sitting in the audience and "not having a clue" on Showtime! Is that a warped version of moral support? Lotta money was pumped into Mitchell, Sam Watson was talking his sh..! They want to leave the door open for jar head football players to box with their ignorance of the sport! Maybe Banks felt sorry for him, there was tragedy surrounding this fight! If Mitchell lost, then its bye bye birdie! I really cant say Banks is all that! Julius Long took him to the distance! And Jason Gavern pulled a draw with him! Adamek knocked the snot out of him! But I do think there was something fishy! There should be an investigation into it!

brownsugar says:

Mitchell didn't need the near omniscient powers of the reclusive boxing mogul extaordinare ....Al "hush- hush" Hamon to protect his fledgling heavyweight player from a loss. Banks is the embodiment of a perpetual fix... all you have to do is watch his performance against Adamek to know this ....Banks just lived down to his normal expectations. Tossing Mitchell out to face a real heavyweight is like tossing chum out to a school of sharks.. AL will have to use Mitchell very carefully.

Radam G says:

YUP! Welkome back, welkome back! Holla!

amayseng says:

Anyone notice Mitchell doesn't throw his punches. Correctly?

He pushes them.

He doesn't shoot them or rip hooks properly.

He needs to go back to the drawing board and learn

some fundamentals.

Brown sugar back in da house !

Radam G says:

Yup! Amayseng, Mitch is pathetic. Boxing is not his cup of tea. But he is playing it up. So I will give it up to him. But he will be KAYOed by the next live body with a mean breath who doesn't give a d@mn about the storyline. Holla!

brownsugar says:

Thanks guys ..after all these years of living the bachelor life I've suddenly got a 12 year old little guy to look after... had to make a change in priorities...but the TSS is still the best.

Carmine Cas says:

Much more intense, it looked like they threw a lot more punches than the two men in the ring

Carmine Cas says:

Welcome back B-Sug

dino da vinci says:

Thanks guys ..after all these years of living the bachelor life I've suddenly got a 12 year old little guy to look after... had to make a change in priorities...but the TSS is still the best.

Mitchell fights like a typical big man, punching power isn't derived purely from size. The kid has heart, I respect him for that especially still fighting after his wife gave birth to a still born. Or Al Haymon had this planned all along.....

amayseng says:

Thanks guys ..after all these years of living the bachelor life I've suddenly got a 12 year old little guy to look after... had to make a change in priorities...but the TSS is still the best.